Is Christianity a System?

What is a System?

A system is a group of individual components that, when coordinated together, create a whole which was not present prior to their coming together.

Consider the cardiovascular system, which immediately draws attention to the heart. But do not forget the blood, the lungs, or the oxygen. Notice how the trees themselves are now drawn into the system. Each component plays its own role, but when put together in a coordinated fashion, we have a system capable of oxygenating the whole body.

In better words, we have something which could not be produced without the coordination of many underlying mechanisms.

The Christian System

I do not claim to have this fully mapped out, but I think it is worth taking a quick glance at the potential components within the Christian system.

Consider the ritual of regular church attendance. Let’s remove the meaning and look purely at the mechanics. On a weekly basis, sometimes more, millions of Christians attend church.

I can barely get myself to clean my room, but consider the feat of getting millions of people out of their homes, into churches, to donate their time, potentially even their money, in the name of their faith.

That is something to marvel at.

This is just one small corner of the Christian system, but how does it relate to other areas? That is the sort of thing I am interested in.

Those Operating Within the System

The church is a physical place we go, but it is also a place that comes home with us. Let me explain.

When we go to church, we are exposed to religious content. Religious content seeks to stick with you beyond your physical presence.

Now, nowhere in here am I claiming ill intent on behalf of Christians operating within the Christian system. That is not my take at all. For example, when churches arrange their Sunday experiences, I am not saying they are intentionally trying to get songs stuck in your head to keep you trapped in their religion.

Those operating within the system of faith genuinely believe they are doing the right thing and should be treated as such. Those who extend an arm from their faith to you should be viewed as someone who would call you out of a burning building.

Hooks and Anchors

As I chew on the routine of church attendance, I notice the theme of hooks and anchors.

Many modern churches are deeply incentivized to find ways to keep you attending that specific church (the anchor), while at the same time finding ways to pull you back in as often as possible (the hook).

Again, the Christians at play here are not doing this nefariously. They are doing it because in their head, the more time you spend in the church, the more likely you are to be saved. It just so happens that the financial and spiritual incentives of the modern church have aligned in such a way that when the church asks for money, they are doing so from a place of desiring what is in your best spiritual interests.

The Feedback Loop

Take a moment to consider the shape of our behavior. We attend church on Sunday. Throughout the week, we get reminders. We see friends from church, hear worship music, and listen to podcasts from our favorite religious content creators. These reminders in and of themselves are not connected to church attendance; they reinforce it.

Each interaction with the Christian world becomes a subtle reminder to get back to church this coming Sunday.

Unfortunate life events will inevitably occur, and during those times of struggle, we might be reminded of the support provided by the church, drawing us back in.

We can step back and get a clearer picture of how the church itself has carved numerous pathways for you to end up back at their front doors.

We are just so oblivious to how this system operates within and amongst the minds of believers. I feel I am just scratching the surface of the shape of this Christian system.

The Art of Removing Meaning

Take note of what we did in this article, because I think it can help to sharpen your thinking.

When considering matters of faith, we carry bias. Removing meaning from scenarios and observing the actual behavior can be useful. For example, I might find it useful to think of hell often, as the fear of burning helps to keep me aligned with God's will. But what does my blood pressure have to say about my thinking of hell?

My mind considers my struggle a win while my body begs me to relax.

Thus is the walk of the fearful Christian. Much love.